Plans for all residential areas to become 20mph zones in Calderdale will still go ahead – but not in Brighouse and Elland for another three years.

After the Labour party was ousted from Calderdale charge councillors sought assurances a previously-backed 20mph bid would still be implemented.

And they welcomed assurances from the Conservative leadership that it will – with the 20mph scheme being rolled out from April 2015.

The timescale has been put forward, with the 20mph limit as a default being rolled out across the borough in five phases.

First the Savile Park, Skircoat Green and Southowram areas will see the 20mph limit introduced.

In the summer of 2015 to spring 2016 it will be introduced in the Upper Valley, from Todmorden to Sowerby Bridge.

Summer 2016 will see it extended to the Ovenden ward, then by early 2017 the Lower Valley – Brighouse, Elland and Hipperholme – will become 20mph areas.

Finally, by autumn 2017 the final phase will see the Barkisland, Greetland, Ripponden areas to see speed limits reduced to 20mph.

Labour’s Health Inequalities spokesman Clr Simon Young said: “I’m really pleased that the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition, who now lead Calderdale Council, have agreed to honour the decision of council to implement 20mph speed limits in all residential areas.

“Traffic speed is a huge issue for residents in every corner of Calderdale and Labour’s 20mph policy takes real action to address both the problems and perception of speeding traffic through our communities.

“The speed of a vehicle is the single main factor that contributes to road fatalities and a recent study found that 45% of pedestrians are killed when struck by vehicles travelling at less than 30mph, dropping massively to 5% at speeds below 20mph. The facts really speak for themselves.

“This is good for the safety of our residents, good for the health of our residents, good for the environment, good for the community at large.”

Calderdale is the first local authority in West Yorkshire to declare that ‘20 is plenty’. Between 2010 and 2012, the proportion of children killed or seriously injured in road traffic accidents in Calderdale was almost twice the average for England.

The scheme is funded by £500,000 Public Health funding and £520,000 from the Local Transport Plan.